Just received my copy of Attkisson's book on the mechanisms and intent of fake news.

My intention is to identify and discuss the mechanisms and worst practices of this now established industry.

I know she'll do a thorough job. The idea of this thread is not to blame one party or one ideological side, but to fully understand how
the news industry, along with social media, astroturf (fake grass roots), accusation based movements and others are being used to destroy opponents and influence the public.

Anyone interested in the mechanisms and worst practices (not which party or which news outlets are the worst offenders) is welcome to post your views as I read the book.

My assumption is that these mechanisms will be used by both parties and many countries if they are effective.

My guess is that the Russians used many of these mechanisms in the 2016 election.

When will you read a book that isn't a polemical tirade aimed at stimulating your prejudices?

More than that, why do you want to start a fucking book club based on whatever you happen to be reading?

The biggest problem, IMO is that the electorate has allowed political figures to screen which reporters have access. I keep going back to the way the UK reporters treat their politicians. There it is no holds barred and direct, hard questions are par for the course. If a reporter here tries that here, they are banned. In the UK, any politician that tried that would be ridiculed by all.

I should add, at least that's how it was. I'm not sure if this aspect of US culture has creeped into the UK also. Perhaps some of our UK members could comment as to whether that still pertains.

...And why students of journalism are needed for an objective understanding of today's news environment.

Indeed, so many have a poor understanding of how journalism works owing to a lack of decent media studies. I see it on this site daily and it wouldn't take much work to gain a rudimentary knowledge of this subject, especially if one has the ability to identify one's tendency toward confirmation bias and isolate it in the process.

And a clueless man as well. I think that an understanding of non-partisan, universally sought mechanisms are useful to any objective thinker of any stripe.

This is why Hayakawa's "Language in Thought and Action" was a foundation for my education.

And why students of journalism are needed for an objective understanding of today's news environment.

Yadda yadda. All you're telling me is that your prejudices are deep and abiding. If you want to talk about media, let's at least have a longitudinal view. Don't pretend the mass media just started in the era you've read about.

Yadda yadda. All you're telling me is that your prejudices are deep and abiding. If you want to talk about media, let's at least have a longitudinal view. Don't pretend the mass media just started in the era you've read about.